Page 12 THE BATTALION
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 1979
New York ‘elite' abandon roller disco
And now, roller discos
United Press International
NEW YORK — To do all this ca
reening around, risking life and
limb on roller skates in a posh disco,
a party of socialites wore cocktail
dresses and tuxedos.
There was a man in a superman
cape and two men in matching la
vender jumpsuits.
There were celebrities galore of
the stage and screen variety, as well
as the not-so colossal stars of New
York City disco action.
The self-conscious, like Neil
Terk, Holly’s date, settled for jeans
like many of the less trendy folk who
seemed to have enjoyed themselves
just as much a lot cheaper in a roller
rink in Greenwich Village.
But to be with the “in” crowd up
town, where dress seemed all im
portant, Candee Rogow wore $25
black Lycra slacks with sequined tux
stripe, a $45 black blouse with flam
boyant red sequin design, and $130
indoor-outdoor skates she bought
that morning at a new roller disco
boutique in Macy’s.
All this colorful garb was nothing
compared with the lighting — or
noise.
When an $80,000, 36-speaker sys
tem blares, people don’t talk. This
makes interviewing difficult.
Taking notes is worse in what is
claimed to be “the most powerful
laser lighting system in the
entertainment industry.”
Still, one remembers. Like trying
to get up off the floor amid dervish
like dancers on wheels whirling at
20 mph.
Judy Lynn, who with her partner,
Bob White, operate a skate rental
concession in Central Park, said rol
ler disco had its origin on the
sidewalks of Venice, Calif, and at
Brooklyn’s Empire Rollerdrome.
“Isn’t this fun?” shouted Gloria
Marti, my date. “Get with it. Move
with the beat.”
I tried. One leg went one way and
the other in the opposite direction.
The rest of my body took off in dif
ferent directions.
Melanie Shorin, 23, in blue
blazer and beige skirt, was tottering
along. When told of my purpose,
she shouted an apology, then grab
bed my shoulders to remain up
right.
“Can’t help you. Reporter, too..
Doing, same, story.”
The site of this disco event was
Xenon, which is ordinarily just
Xenon Owner Howard Stein,
sipping champagne in his office,
said he got into the roller disco
gambit “to give a very fickle and
bored elitist New York audience
another diversion.”
another Manhattan disco where
exclusivity is ostentatious. From
would-be customers clustered out
side, burley attendants choose those
to be admitted through the red vel
vet entrance ropes.
The chosen are allowed to pay $12
to get in. An annual membership —
$150 to $350, escalated according to
age — assures being chosen and
gets you in for $10. Drinks start at
$3.
Owner Howard Stein, sipping
champagne in his office, said he got
into the roller disco gambit “to give
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Briarwood Apts.
201 Hwy. 30 Briarwood Apts. Colle
★★■A A A A A A A ******
ige Station 693-97814c
A A A A A A A A An*
Applications for MSC Lead
ership Positions now being
accepted
MSC Officers - deadline
February 9
MSC Committee Chairmen -
deadline February 23
Applications available in
the Student Programs Of
fice, Room 216 of the MSC.
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JUNIORS
If you have completed 75 hours as of Jan. 1,1979, and have a minimum
GPR of 3.25, you are eligible for membership in the Senior Honor
Society.
CAP & GOWN
(soon to be affiliated with National Mortar Board, Inc.)
General Orientation Meeting Feb. 8, 7 P.M. 601 Rudder.
Information sheets will also be available from Feb. 5-16 in 216 MSC,
108 YMCA, and the offices of Dr. Koldus, Academic Deans, and Dept.
Heads.
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for the
a very fickle and bored elitist New
York audience another diversion.”
The “elitists” got bored quick.
Shortly after our visit. Xenon
went back to just another plain old
disco, leaving the roller field to less
expensive competitors like Village
Skating just off Washington Square
in Greenwich Village.
By this time, Gloria was
enamored of the fad and at Village
Skating we risked life and limb
again. There was none of the laser
lighting or super amplifiers in this
basement emporium. It is situated
in a former warehouse where scores
of less status-conscious young
people filled the hall in a scene re
miniscent of a Toulouse Lautrec
painting. It’s where the clerks,
writers, artists, secretaries and con
struction workers go.
Here, teen-agers and young
adults hustled like mad on skates. In
addition to those in jeans, some
were shirtless in overalls. Others
wore athletic shorts and T-shirts.
Dramatic costumes were few.
You could talk above the heavy-
beat disco music and the lights were
such that you could still see where
you were going and practice your
skill — or try to develop some.
The young people were delighted
to give us some tips and the em
ployees were pleasant and quick
with advice and assistance.
“Aren’t the personnel nice?” said
Gloria. “Much less snooty.”
Unlike the disco, the place was
booze less. It also was highly afford
able — $4 admission; $1 for rather
battered skates.
For that, you also got entertain
ment — a volunteered performance
by three young couples who call
masses
their group The Villagers and dance
on skates with more dynamic
exuberance than some of the profes
sionals Xenon had on hand to show
how it all should be done.
Village Skating owner Dick
Clammar, who opened the place a
year ago to give his kids and others
in the neighborhood a place to go,
said it was tough sledding at first. “If
we had 15 skaters on a weekend, it
would be good.” Now, he said, the
crowd filling his small floor showed
how roller disco has caught on.
Back at Xenon, Linda Fudge, 26,
and her husband, Gary, 23, a pro
fessional skating team, said roller
disco is coming in around the coun
try, but mostly at less costly roller
rinks like Clammar’s.
“We demonstrated it at a rink
owners’ convention in Kansas City
in October. They were all enthusias-
“Until a month ago, 1 hadn’t
skated in 30 years,” admitted ac
tress Polly Bergen, a bit breath
less. “Then I started at a rink
outside Los Angeles that a group
of actors, writers and producers
rent on Monday nights. I love
it. ”
tic and are getting into it.
The Fudges have demonstrated
roller disco from Chicago to Grand
view, Mo., and Otumwa, Iowa. Rol
ler disco is giving new life to the
rinks, Linda said.
“Until a month ago, I hadn’t
skated in 30 years,” admitted actress
Polly Bergen, a bit breathless.
“Then I started at a rink outside Los
Angeles that a group of actors,
writers and producers rent on
Monday nights. I love it.”
Liberal AND religious
— can’t we be both?
You are invited to attend an organiza
tional meeting of TAMU student reli
gious liberals, Sunday, Feb. 11, 7:30
p.m., Room 145, MSC.
Speaker: Rev. Bob Hill, on “Why I Am a
Small-c Christian.”
Have A Cultural
Affair With The
Houston Chronicle.
Enjoy many fine art and book
reviews. Drama, motion pictures,
music and television news
too. Indulge yourself in a few of
the finer arts. Read The Houston
Chronicle.
1/2 price
for students, faculty and staff.
Entire semester for $6.80 (Feb.
7 - May 11)
Call 693-2323 or 846-0763 to start
HOME or DORM DELIVERY
immediately.
Houston Chronicle
News you can use.
what’s up
Wednesday
ri
Irt
BASEMENT COFFEEHOUSE: General meeting and auditions* J
p.m. “
E.E. STUDENT WIVES CLUB: Barbara Denton, a respresentalj
of Mary Kay Cosmetics, will speak at 7 p.m. in Room 115-E,Zacli
Engineering Center. All E.E. student wives are invited.
HILLEL CLUB: Will meet at 7:30 p.m. in the Hillel Foundats
Building.
ACT CLUB: Planning of the spring Agriculturalist and a discussioj ii CJ
press room responsibilities at the Houston Stock show will bel* r
in Room 007, Reed McDonald Building, at 7:30 p.m.
FIT APPLICATION DEADLINE: Applications for the EITEi;
should be in Austin today.
STAMP CLUB: A collection of worldwide stamps will be presei
and discussed at 7:30 p.m. in Room 502, Rudder Tower.
BRIDGE CLUB: Will begin playing at 7:15 p.m. in the MSC.Cl
monitor for room number. Everyone is welcome.
(
Unit
NEW Y
ne. cherr
>d to cur
Ter, say
It of the
lical Aj
repc
TAMU ROADRUNNERS: Final preparations for the Valentines:| e wa! |. |'
Run and final dues payments will be made at 5 p.m. inG ce 1
White Coliseum. Be ready to run.
TOWN HALL: The Blackstone Magic Show will begin at 8:15p.
Rudder Auditorium.
Its 20
ims, in
le can
it and t
SOCIAL DANCE CLUB: Will hold group lessons in country & we fhe rep
ern, disco or ballroom dancing 7-8:30 p.m. in Room 266, G.Hoi ;jka of
White Coliseum.
ffiota m
STUDENT AGGIE CLUB: Will meet at 7:30 p.m. in the Letter pi in si>
Lounge. All interested students are welcome. Iment i
SPORT PARACHUTE CLUB: Will meet at 8 p.m. in Roonii; ^ '
Rudder Tower. , r ii
PLACEMENT OFFICE: Graduating seniors who wish to intenn f urrenl
for the following companies may begin signing up today forinti j nce ()
views on Feb. 21: Airesearch Manufacturing Co., American^ ^ a f ter
in Austin, American Microsystems Inc., Army Material, Bell Si . ye£
terns, Cent Power & Light, Conoco, Joske’s of Dallas, “{either;
Engineering & Manufacturing Div., Standard Oil of Indiana, Ta L
Eastern, Texas Instruments (Sherman), U.S. Navy, U.S. Sli |) ur j n j,
Coip. Worthington Compressors Inc. I ec j f u
ts and h
t-'L J I 10 P a t
I hursday ‘
POLITICAL FORUM: Bob Kupperman, a military scientist fori L [ | ruj
U.S. Arms and Disarmament Agency, will speak on “Puttiif*
Leash On Terrorism” at 8 p.m. in Room 701, Rudder Tower
TAMU HUMAN FACTORS CLUB: Barry Tillman, a HumanFactld not
Analyst, will speak on “Human Factors in the Design of Militi Seance
Vehicles” at 8 p.m. in Room 342, Zachry Engineering Centei |
TAMU EMERGENCY CARE TEAM: Will meet at 7:30 p.m il 1116 .. 11
Room 504, Rudder Tower.
CAMPUS CRUSADE FOR CHRIST: Walter Bradley will spell
“Love, Sex and Dating” at 7 p.m. in Room 510, RudderT(
Everyone is welcome
ROTERACT CLUB: Will meet at 7:30 p.m. in Room 308, Rui
Tower.
nnt,
METHODIST STUDENT MOVEMENT: A study on charisma* ^
will be held in Room 350, MSC, at 7 p.m. J| ^
TEXAS SOCIETY OF PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS: Engins ‘
ing registration” will take place at 7:30 p.m. in Room 103, Zacls L^| ia
BASKETBALL: The women’s team will play Lamar University* Health
p.m. in Beaumont.
CEPHEID VARIABLE: “Them,” in which James Arness battles
ants that overrun the world, will be shown at Sand 10:30p.m.ini
Basement Coffeehouse. Admission is 50 cents. (G)
S.i Cent*
ufacti
ires
laatinj
PLACEMENT OFFICE: Graduating seniors who wish to intervi ' n .
for the following companies may begin signing up today forint ^ ^
views on Feb. 22: Airesearch Manufacturing Co., Arizona Pul
Service Co., Conoco, Core Laboratories, Crawford Russell,Dc ea ] s . <
ell, Moore Products Co., PPG Industries Inc., Price Waterhousf * s ' 111
Co., J. E. Sirrine Co., TRW Systems, Turner Collie & Braden,l' P l ' K 1 "
Navy, Wrangler Jeans. Hescap
F riday
escap
iht be r
nnair
ending
its conv
DEADLINE: For applying for degrees to be awarded in May istoi s j?
The $8 fee is to be paid in the Fiscal Office, Coke Building, i
SWIM TEAM: The women’s team will swim against the Universit)
Arizona and LSU here at 7 p.m.
Ipf'
c
Fe
AGGIE CINEMA: “Three Days of the Condor,” a high tension thrill |
concerning the C.I.A. and international conspiracy, start! f
Robert Bedford and Faye Dunaway, will be shown at 8 p.m
Rudder Theater. (R)
MIDNIGHT MOVIE: “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,’ a
two bank robbers caught out of their element when the Old WI
closes at the turn of the century, starring Paul Newman, Rob
Bedford, and Katherine Ross, will be shown in Rudder Thealt
(PC).
PLACEMENT OFFICE: Graduating senior who wish to interviewl
the following companies may begin signing up today for interne 1
on Feb. 23: Aramco Services, Capital National Bank in AusS | Tjr
Dandry, Div. of Northern Telecon, Data Point, Dresser Industri 1
Oilfield Products, Ferguson Enterprises, Hallmark Cards, fe
Ingersoll-Rand Inc., Lockheed Missiles & Space Co., Marathon! [
Co., NCR Corp., PPG Industries Co., Rolm Corp., Santa!;
Drilling Co., Southern Pacific Trans. Co., TRW Systems,Tun j
Collie & Braden, U.S. Gypsum, West Texas Utilities.
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